Page 73 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

Not the little slut mistake he couldn’t wait to toss away with immense debt.

This is why normal individuals could never grasp our livelihood as royals.

Couldn’t wrap their heads around what we deal with and why a child can be important one minute, then tossed, abandoned, and left with a debt to carry upon their heads until they’re able to get rid of it themselves.

I can’t even understand it.

But I can accept that’s just how it is and will always be.

“Iva! Look. Eva is going to walk soon!” He proudly declares as he lets go to clap his hands. I don’t think he realizes it, which is why Mother gasps behind the camera, but then she’s squealing.

“OMG! She’s walking! Look!”

My giggle only becomes more hysterical as the little me takes three solid steps before falling back on my butt. I pout my lips,realizing I’m on the floor, before looking back to my parents—my eyes staring at the camera in confusion.

“Daddy!” I lift my arms with my exclamation, and how my parents are speechless before Leighton makes a sound I can’t describe with words. I’m up in his arms in a heartbeat, squealing and giggling while he’s jumping up in down, despite the exquisite suit he’s wearing.

“Iva! Did you hear that?! She said, Daddy! To me! Me first!”

“And she walked silly!” Mother scolds, which is why he’s laughing heartedly.

“You walked my Darling Eva! Walked and called me Daddy. I’m so proud of my girl! Daddy loves you so much!” He lifts my little body in the air, and I squeal and giggle. He looks up at me, and I see the tears forming in his eyes. “Daddy won’t always be perfect. Daddy has a lot of problems he’s working on. A lot of issues medicine can’t fix yet.”

He smiles, despite his trembling lip, and watching those tears fall makes my heart sink. Maybe it’s because I can see Matteo in this man and him shedding those very tears.

“But I’m not going to give up. I’m going to keep fighting. That’s what a Leighton does. We fight through the madness, even if we lose ourselves many times.” He cradles me in his arms then, and I giggle quieter now as it’s evident I’m on the verge of sleep. “There may come a time that this side of me barely exists anymore… but if that ever happens, Mommy will show you this, and maybe you’ll be old enough to understand that Daddy isn’t well, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. That doesn’t mean I’m not proud of your survival.”

“Dominic,” I hear Mother whisper.

“I hope… despite the sins I’ve committed to get this far, that I can one day show you this side that loves you dearly. That this insanity disease doesn’t ruin the love I have for you.” He smiles despite how the tears so effortlessly run down his cheeks.

I don’t realize I’m crying until the soft touch of Mother’s thumb running along my cheeks makes me realize my blurry vision.

“At least he tried, right?” I offer as best I can.

“Sometimes I dare to wish he tried harder,” Mother confesses.

“So… selling me to Prescott…”

“Another episode,” Mother admits. “He deals with them a lot. Giulietta couldn’t handle it. I don’t blame her. Most can’t grasp his mental illness. Others say he deserves it for all the sins he committed as a Ruthless King.”

“Do you think he deserves it?”

She slowly shakes her head as she looks at the phone in her grasp.

“I rather wish one perishes by a bullet wound than deal with the agony of becoming someone you’re not. To know you’re not yourself but have no control in how your own life and personality plays out, day by day.”

“That’s why you’d rather be the puppet that plays to his tune.” It clicks in my mind now. “To give him some sort of control, when in reality, he’s the one always spiraling.”

“Mhmm.” She laughs while wiping away her tears. “When you love your Ruthless King enough, you’ll do anything, even if it makes you into a real fool in our world.” She slips the phone away and reaches out with both hands to wipe my wet cheeks.

“You love Zander, don’t you?”

“I-Is it that obvious?”

“Not to everyone,” she assures me as her gaze softens. “But the look you give him is very different from the one you give to Matteo.”

“I guess that’s true.” As of now, Matteo and I are still strangers. “Everyone says Zander is psychotic… and maybe heis, but…” I allow myself to smile. “He sees me, Mother. Gets me. Does the littlest things that mean so much to me.”

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